Left Behind
by Merenwen Calmcacil
Summary: Han disappeared six years before, leaving a pregnant Leia behind. Once he regained his freedom, he finds out she is about to get remarried and has a daughter. He intended to slip away again, this time forever, but fate has other ideas.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No I do not own Star Wars. George Lucas owns it. And I unfortunately do not have the money to buy it.

Han wandered around through the market on Coruscant. It had been six years since he'd been near the planet. He was only there for the day. He'd seen her on the news already. She'd obviously moved on with her life. He hadn't seen her husband, but she had a five-year-old daughter who was missing. She hadn't been pregnant when he'd left. He obviously hadn't been that important to her.

Suddenly he felt something run into him. He looked down and there was a little girl with light brown curls and big hazel eyes. "Pardon me," she said softly, looking up at him fearfully. She wasn't an orphan that had been cast out onto the streets, that was obvious by the way she was dressed. She was wearing a white silk dress that came down to about her knees and her curls were held back with a matching headband. She looked like some aristocrat's daughter.

The little girl looked over her shoulder and took off running again. Han could see two thugs were chasing her, probably to kidnap her and then get millions from her parents, whoever they were. Han had no clue who she was, but he wasn't going to stand by and watch them grab her. So, as they ran past, Han casually stuck his foot out and tripped one of them. He punched the other one, knocking him out instantly. The little girl somehow sensed that she wasn't being chased anymore and turned around to look at him. Her smile wasn't unlike his own. She had what Leia had called his "Solo grin." Now that he got a good look at her, her eyes were the same color as his and her hair as well.

"Thank you!" she called before taking off again. For some reason Han couldn't let her run off. He needed to talk to her, find out who she was. She looked familiar, sort of like a mini-Leia. Han ran after her. When the girl saw him, she started running faster. But, Han could run faster than she could and soon caught up with her. "Hey kid, slow down!" Han called to her. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The little girl looked up at him, her chin raised defensively. "My mother says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers unless we're at a banquet, when I'm allowed to go anyway."

"I'm Han," he told her. "Now I'm not a stranger. So what's your name kid?"

"Padme," she told him slowly, eyeing him carefully. She looked like a little princess with the way she held her head and shoulders. "But I'm not going to tell you my last name."

"Well that's fair since I haven't told you mine either," Han replied with a slight smile. The little girl had a lot of spunk, he had to admit that. She seemed to be appraising him with the cool and detached manner of an experienced diplomat. It was an awfully old look for such a tiny girl. "Are you hungry kid?" he asked after a few moments of silence. Padme looked at him carefully, her big hazel eyes narrowed slightly.

"Alright," she said after about two minutes. "I am hungry," and despite her attempts to retain her regal bearing, her stomach rumbled loudly, causing her to giggle. Han was taken aback by her smile. Now, seeing it up close, he could see how much like his own it really was. She seemed to be looking up at him expectantly. He raised an eyebrow and she started tapping her little foot impatiently. "Well, are you going to offer me your arm or what?" she asked saucily.

"Well excuse me princess," Han replied sarcastically. It was almost as if he was speaking with Leia. That little girl certainly could get under his skin so quickly. He lowered his arm for the little girl, but she looked up at him, as if frozen in place. Her hazel eyes were more brown than green and narrow.

"Only Uncle Chewie calls me that," she informed him sternly. "And that's only when Mommy is not around."

Han's eyes widened at the name Chewie. But it couldn't be the wookie he was thinking of. Chewie had probably gone back to his mate after Han disappeared all those years ago. Padme took Han's arm and let him lead her through the streets of Coruscant. She looked around puzzled. "Where are you taking me?" she asked with a frown. "This isn't the way to the restaurant district."

"We're going back to my ship," Han replied. "I'll cook dinner for you."

"Oh no," Padme broke away from him. "If I go back to your ship, then you'll keep me there and make my mother give you lots of money to get me back and then she be even angrier with me than she is already."

"I'm not going to hold you captive," he assured her. "All I'm offering is food and a bed for tonight only. Tomorrow you can go back out onto the streets, or I can take you to your mother. The choice is yours."

Padme looked up at him distrustfully and then looked around her. They were walking through one of the shadier parts of Coruscant. If he left her now, it was most likely that she would get kidnapped. It wasn't likely any better offers were going to come along and she didn't have any credits with her to purchase anything for herself. It seemed going with him would be her best choice. "Okay," she said in a quiet tone. And took his larger hand in her small one. Han led her to the Falcon and into the kitchen.

Padme seemed to enjoy watching him cook from her perch on the counter top. Her eyes were wide and very green as she watched him make dinner. She asked tons of questions about what he was doing. All through dinner she chattered none stop about her Jedi uncle Luke and her Uncle Chewie. Warning signals were flashing in Han's mind all the way through it. If what she was telling him was true, then she was most likely Leia's missing daughter. What interested him was that she never talked about her mother or her father. "So what about your mom and dad?" he asked when she finally lapsed into silence.

"I don't have a dad," she informed him sadly. "Uncle Luke says he disappeared about nine months before I was born. Mommy didn't know she was going to have me when he left. I almost saw a holo of their wedding one time. Uncle Luke was going to show it to me, but then Mommy walked in. All Mommy will tell me is that he's probably dead and I shouldn't worry about it. Mommy is supposed to get married tomorrow. I don't like him at all and I know he doesn't like me either. He's mean to me and wants to make me go to boarding school on Ord Mantel."

"So is that why you ran away?" Han asked, setting his fork down on his plate. The way Padme bowed her head and refused to look at him gave Han all the answers he needed. "Are you ready to go to bed?" he asked softly. Padme nodded her head and looked up at him, her eyes were glazed over as if from holding back tears. Han walked back into his cabin and found an old t-shirt for Padme to wear so she didn't have to sleep in her fancy dress. "You can wear this to sleep in," he told her. "It's not a real night gown or anything, but it's better than that dress. The fresher's right through there." Padme nodded and went into the fresher. She came out a few minutes later wearing the shirt with her dress draped neatly over her arm. She shirt came down past her knees, but it made her look adorable.

Han led her back to the crew bunks. He stopped at the one Leia had used most often. On that bunk he could at least guarantee that the sheets were clean. Han pulled back the covers and lifted Padme up onto the bunk. Padme snuggled down beneath the blankets. Han went to say something to her, but she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. He smiled softly and pulled the covers up around her chin. Padme sighed and a contented smile graced her lips. Han stood watching her for a minute, and then slipped into his cabin to get some sleep as well.

Several hours later Han woke to Padme's whimpering. He pulled on his pants and a shirt and walked out to find out what was wrong. "What's up kid?" he asked softly, crouching down next to her bunk.

"I woke up and I couldn't find Lumpy," Padme explained, wiping tears from her pale cheeks. "And then I remembered where I was and I miss Mommy!" By this time Padme was sobbing and buried her face in the blankets. Han reached out one arm and gently rubbed her back. She eventually quieted and turned to look at him.

"Who's Lumpy?" he asked softly.

"Lumpy is my stuffed wookie," Padme replied. "He looks like Uncle Chewie's cub Lumpy so that's what I call him. I sleep with him every night no matter what, but I didn't think to bring him with me when I ran away."

"First thing in the morning, I'll take you home to your mom," Han assured her. "But it's late now and you and I both need to get some sleep okay?"

"Will you hold my hand until I fall asleep?" she asked tearfully.

"Sure," Han replied with a sigh, and then took her smaller hand in his. Padme fell asleep after about ten minutes and Han slipped back into his cabin, wondering what had happened to him. There had been a time when he would have saved the kid, let her take off, and never give it another thought. But there he was, making her dinner, tucking her in, and holding her hand until she fell asleep. How could a little girl he'd only known about ten hours have him so totally wrapped around her little finger?

The next morning both Padme and Han were up with the sun. Han gave Padme an old brush Leia had left on the Falcon to brush her hair with and sent her into the fresher to get ready to go. About five minutes later Padme walked out, her hair in more tangles then it had been when she'd walked in. She held the brush out to Han. "Will you brush my hair?" she asked, her lower lip forming the most irresistible pout Han had ever seen.

"Come here kid," he replied taking the brush from her small hand. 'What is happening to me?' he wondered again. Soon Han and Padme were on their way back to Padme's home. She was quiet most of the way, clinging to his hand with all of her strength. She'd given him an address in Coruscant's elite penthouse district. He was right about her being the daughter of some aristocrat, probably a politician. Her steps got smaller and slower the closer they got. He could tell she was starting to dread going home. He squeezed her hand gently and she looked up at him, her eyes were a strange mixture of brown and gray. Soon they reached the building where she lived.

"You'll come and visit sometimes right?" she asked him, clutching his hand even tighter than before.

"If your mom'll have me then I'd love to come and visit," he assured her.

Padme nodded and Han lifted her up so she could punch in the code. They entered the building and Han led her to the lift. Just as the door opened a very familiar face walked out of the lift. "Uncle Luke!" Padme cried happily.

Luke looked down at his niece in shock. He then lifted her into his arms and pressed kiss all over her small face. Padme clung to him happily. She wrapped her small arms around his neck and kissed her uncle back. Han watched the reunion in shock. If Luke was Padme's uncle that would mean that her mother was… Suddenly all Han could think of was making a quick exit before Luke recognized him, but he was too slow. "Thank you so much for bringing…" Luke trailed off, finally getting a good look at Han. "Han?" he asked with a frown. "Is that you?"

"How are you doing kid?" Han asked with a sheepish grin.

"You have to come see Leia," Luke exclaimed. "You have to stop her from…"

"Mommy?" Padme asked, lifting her head from her uncle's shoulders.

"I need to get you to Leia," Luke said, more to himself than to Padme. "She's been worried sick about you."

"So she didn't get married?"

"Of course not!" Luke exclaimed. "She would never do something like that without you being there."

"I hoped not," Padme said softly, burying he face in her uncle's shoulder.

Luke ushered Han into the lift, making sure he didn't get away. Personally, he hated Leia's fiancée. The man was a pompous jerk who wanted to marry Leia because she was president of the New Republic and had money to burn. But, he seemed to make Leia happy, or at least happier than she had been in six years. She hadn't really been happy since Han had left. As soon as the lift stopped and they stepped outside into the living room of the penthouse Leia rushed up to them. "Luke did you find…" Leia trailed off.

"Mommy!" Padme cried happily. Leia took Padme from Luke's arms and held her close. "My baby," she whispered softly kissing Padme and crying all at the same time.

"Mommy, Mr. Han saved me," Padme said, reaching a hand out to Han. "There were some bad men chasing me and he saved me."

"He seems to save a lot of people," Leia said softly looking up at Han. "So you decided to come back, after six years?"

"Leia lat me explain…" Han began with a frown. "I tried to come back to you, I really did. But there was this guy I used to work for, and…"

"Save it Han," Leia replied coldly. "I've moved on."

Suddenly Chewie burst into the room. "Uncle Chewie," Padme exclaimed happily. Chewie roared and wrapped Padme in his arms._ I was so worried about you little princess! _Chewie grumbled. _Don't you ever scare me like that again!_

"Chewie, take Padme to her room," Leia commanded, never taking her eyes off Han. "I think Han and I need to talk." Padme started to protest but one look from her mother and Padme allowed herself to be led away quietly.

"So Han," Leia began coldly. "Why did you come back…"


	2. Chapter 2

Several hours later Han slipped into Padme's room. He wanted to say goodbye before he left. Leia wouldn't even listen to his explanation. He really had wanted to come back. He'd tried for years to get back to her, but when he was finally able to get away, she had moved on with her life and left him behind. He had tried and failed. But he wasn't going to leave the daughter he'd never known about without saying goodbye. He couldn't do that to her.

Padme was sitting on the floor of her room brushing the fur of a small stuffed wookie toy with a doll's brush. Her back was to him, but her shoulders straightened when the door opened. Her hair was brushed back into an intricate braid and she was wearing a pair of black slacks and a dark green button down shirt, that made her look older than she really was. She may have inherited most of his features, but in an outfit like that, she looked like a miniature Leia.

Padme gently set the toy aside and turned to face him. "I knew you were coming," she stated simply as she rose to her feet and Han could see her mini black ballet slippers. Her dark clothing was a sharp contrast to the light pink walls and the quilted white and pink bedspread. Her sad little face looked so out of place in the bright and cheery bedroom with the sunlight streaming in through the sheer white curtains that were tied back with pink bows. "You are going to tell me goodbye aren't you?"

"Come here kid," Han beckoned as he sat down on the edge of her bed. Padme walked to him around the bed and let him lift her onto his lap. "You know I want to stay don't you?"

"I was pretty sure," Padme replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "But I didn't think that Mommy would let you. I want you to stay. I like you a lot better than I like Mr. Resol. He's mean and he doesn't like me at all."

Han gently wrapped his arms around Padme and rested his chin on top of her head. "Are you happy here sweetheart?"

"Sometimes," Padme replied truthfully. "I like it when Uncle Luke is home, and when the Senate isn't in session. Then I like it here. But I don't like when Uncle Chewie goes home, or when Uncle Luke goes back to Yavin 4."

"You should be happy all the time," Han almost whispered, more to himself than to her.

"You're my real father aren't you?" Padme asked suddenly, with a calm that completely shocked Han.

Han stiffened and looked down at Padme. "How did you find out?"

"Uncle Luke says I'm force sensitive," Padme explained with a smile. "Because I'm young and my powers are so unfocused I can read people's minds without them feeling it. I also can pick up people's thoughts when they're projecting them very loudly. Are you happy that you're my father?"

"I'm extremely happy sweetheart," Han replied kissing her forehead. "You are everything I ever dreamed of."

Padme smiled and snuggled closer to Han. "I'm glad you're my father. But what am I supposed to call you know? Mr. Han seems kind of silly to call your father."

"I always called my old man Papa," Han informed her.

"Then that is what I'll call you!" Padme exclaimed excitedly. "Papa are you still going to leave?"

"I'm not going anywhere baby," Han assured her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm never going to leave you."

Leia leaned against the wall outside Padme's room, listening to her conversation with Han. She felt her eyes filled with tears when Padme expressed how unhappy she was. Leia had never had any clue that Padme was so unhappy. She was always so sweet and cheerful. Had she learned the art of hiding her emotions from Leia? That was not a lesson she had intended for her daughter to learn. Leia walked away from Padme's room towards her office, trying to stop her tears.

Several hours later the door to the apartment burst open while Han, Padme, Luke, and Chewie were playing a game on the floor. Padme looked up to see the intruder and wrinkled her nose, then turned back to the game. Han immediately guessed that the stranger was Leia's fiancée. Luke rose to his feet, but the man didn't pay any attention to him. "Leia!" the stranger yelled. "Leia get out here!"

"Andrew?" Leia called walking out of her office. "What's going on?"

"We're getting married tomorrow!" Andrew announced. "Isn't that wonderful?"

Han felt as if someone had sucker punched him in the stomach. He suddenly felt Padme slip her small hand into his and he pulled her onto his lap. Padme snuggled up against him and he felt her start to shake.

"Tomorrow?" Leia asked with a frown. "Since when?"

"I talked to the church and they have an opening," Andrew explained. "Now that the kid is back we can get married like we planed."

"I have a name you know!" Padme almost screamed, and then fled from the shelter of Han's arms into her bedroom. Han, Chewie, and Luke visibly flinched when the door slammed behind her.

"I'll go talk to her," Luke said quietly, slipping silently out of the room. Chewie growled his departure as well and followed Luke out, leaving Han sitting there on the floor with the abandoned game. Han stood up as well and tried to make his escape when Andrew called him back.

"Who are you?" he asked with a frown and a suspicious glance towards Leia.

"Just an old friend," Han replied simply and slipped out of the room before any further questions could be asked of him.

Late that night, long after Padme cried herself to sleep, Luke walked into a lower level cantina. Han had left not long after Andrew, and Luke had already checked the Falcon and seven other cantinas. The air was thick with smoke and the lighting was dim. Luke looked around the room for Han. He was sitting in a corner on his own with a bottle of Corellian whiskey clutched tightly in his hand. Luke sighed and then made his way through the crowd back towards Han. "You're not going to find anything helpful in that bottle Han," Luke scolded gently, trying to pry the bottle away from Han.

"Just go away kid," was Han's desolate response. "Let me go ahead and drink my way to Hell."

"You can't do that now Han," Luke reprimanded him. "You have someone else to think about now."

"Who, Leia?" Han asked sarcastically. "Don't make me laugh!"

"I wasn't talking about Leia," Luke replied, taking a seat on the ripped black vinyl of the chair next to Han's. "I was talking about your daughter Han."

"She's been fine without me so far," Han retorted. "She'll be okay. Besides, I never wanted kids anyway."

"You don't mean that!" Luke cried angrily, slamming his fist down on the table. "That little girl needs you Han! She needs you more than anything right now. I saw you with her today! You love her Han and I can't believe you'll just walk away from her now! That's not the kind of person you are!"

"The kind of person I am?" Han yelled, standing up and almost knocking over the table. "Kid, I stopped being that guy almost six years ago. Heck, I don't even know who that guy is anymore." Han's fingers tightened around the neck of the bottle and he stumbled out of the bar. Luke sat in the chair stunned. Suddenly a scantily clad human waitress walked up and offered him a drink. Luke grabbed a shot glass off the tray she held out to him and downed the contents in one gulp. He tossed her a random bill out of his pocket and then stalked out of the cantina, back towards Leia's apartment. There was nothing else he could do that night.

The next morning, Padme was not in the mood to be cooperative with Winter, Chewie, or even Luke. She was short tempered, prone to tears if she didn't get her way, and as stubborn as a bantha. She wouldn't take a bath. She refused to get dressed, and when Luke started to brush her hair, she bit him! Chewie had slept in a chair in her room the night before to make sure she didn't run away again. She had only tried four times before Chewie threatened to take Lumpy away, then she had at least stayed in bed.

When the wedding was an hour away, Padme sat on the floor of her room, quietly playing with one of her dolls. Luke and Chewie stood outside of the room plotting how to get Padme to behave. She'd been a little terror all morning. But they couldn't come up with anything. Leia was too busy with her own preparations and would scold Luke and Chewie about how they couldn't handle a child. But, Luke thought to himself, Leia wasn't the one who was bitten.

Suddenly the door opened and Padme stepped out. "I am ready to behave now Uncle Like," Padme just barely whispered. "And I'm sorry I bit you."

"It's okay princess," Luke assured her. "Are you going to let Winter give you a bath?"

Padme only nodded and Winter took her hand and led her back into the room. An hour later Winter led her back out fully dressed in all her wedding attire. Her curls were perfectly hanging down her back. Her white dress, stockings, and shoes, were flawless. She looked like an angel that belonged on top of a Christmas tree, except for her face. Her face was the complete picture of misery. Despite her bad behavior that morning, Luke's heart broke when he saw Padme looking so miserable.

Leia walked out of her room in her wedding dress. She looked lovely, although her face didn't contain the joy it had the day she had married Han. Her dress wasn't nearly as grand as that day either. It was still a lovely dress, but Luke liked the dress she had worn to her first wedding better. "You look beautiful Leia," Luke complimented his sister with a slight smile.

"Thank you," Leia replied, smiling back. She smoothed imaginary wrinkles from the skirt of her dress and looked down at Padme.

"Please don't do it Mommy!" Padme pleaded one last time. "Please don't marry that man! I don't like him and I don't want him to even try to be my father!"

"Hush Padme," Leia scolded harshly. "I am going to marry Mr. Resol whether you like it or not."

Padme turned from her mother and buried her face in Luke's ceremonial Jedi robes. Luke picked up his niece and let her cry on his shoulder. "You and Winter go ahead to the church," Luke suggested as he used his free hand to rub Padme's back soothingly. "Chewie and I will calm Padme down and then follow a little later."

Leia agreed and she and Winter promptly left the apartment. Padme's sobs quieted soon after and Luke sent her to the bathroom to wash her face. When she returned, Luke took her hand firmly in his and led her out to the waiting speeder. He buckled her into the child seat in the speeder and climbed into the driver's seat, while Chewie took his place in the passenger seat. Luke started the speeder and took of at a fast pace. Padme watched the scenery pass them by and frowned when she noticed they weren't going towards the church. They were going towards one of the docking bays!

Luke pulled the speeder up next to a very familiar ship and Chewie climbed out, then unbuckled Padme and carried her towards the ship, while Luke remained in the speeder. Padme had immediately recognized the ship and bit her lower lip excitedly as Chewie punched in a code on the keypad to open the door of the ship. The door opened with a light swish and Chewie stepped inside, setting Padme down in the process. "Papa!" Padme called as she wandered into the ship. "Papa, are you here?"

Han stumbled out of his cabin and looked at the little girl and the wookie standing in the kitchen area of the Falcon. Padme ran to her father and threw herself into his arms. Han's head was pounding from the hangover he had earned with the massive amounts of whiskey he'd consumed the night before, and was barely able to lift the girl up. Padme threw her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. "What are ya'll doing here?" Han drawled sleepily.

"Papa you have to stop Mommy from marrying Mr. Resol!" Padme exclaimed. "You're the only one who can do it!"

_She's right cub. _Chewie growled._ You have to save the princess from making the biggest mistake of her life._

"You're forgetting one thing," Han informed, setting Padme back on her feet. "Leia doesn't want me to save her this time. She made her choice and now I'm outta here."

"NO!" Padme cried, turning and running to Chewie. Chewie picked the little girl up and let her sob into his shoulder.

_I'm sorry you feel that way cub. _Chewie growled softly, then turned to exit the Falcon.

"I hate you Papa!" Padme cried as Chewie stepped out of the ship. "I hate you!"

Her words made Han feel as if a knife had been plunged into his stomach. He'd been told by various people that they hated him before. It wasn't like it was the first time. But never before had it stung so deeply. It had never made him feel so guilty. At that moment Han knew exactly what he needed to do…

A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. But I thought this might bea nice Christmas present. So, Merry Christmas everyone. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I don't want to hear about it.


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